A golf cart driver suspected of driving under the influence tried to flee from law enforcement after he was found at a church in The Villages.
A Sumter County sheriff’s deputy was on patrol at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday when he noticed a golf cart backed into the tree line at New Covenant United Methodist Church, which is located behind Southern Trace Plaza. Sitting in the golf cart was 41-year-old Kenneth Carta of Steger, Ill., who was identified by his Illinois driver’s license, according to the arrest report. His speech was slurred and he initially attempted to ignore the deputy. There were open alcohol containers near the golf cart.
Carta because “agitated” when the deputy began asking him questions. Carta turned on the golf cart and attempted to flee the scene. He drove for about 20 feet, but appeared to have difficulty operating the golf cart.
He was ordered to get out of the golf cart. Carta stepped out of the golf cart and the deputy could see that Carta was unsteady on his feet. However, he got back into the golf cart and began to drive away, again.
A second deputy arrived on the scene and began to pursue the golf cart in his squad car. Carta, who had the golf cart in reverse, ran into a tree. He got out of the golf cart and began to flee on foot. He ran through some shrubbery, prompting the second deputy to threaten to taser Carta. He put up his hands and surrendered.
He refused to take part in field sobriety exercises and would not submit to a breath test.
He was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a breath test, loitering, fleeing to elude and resisting arrest. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center where Illinois and Indiana have put holds on his detention.
In 2022, police in Beecher, Ill. noticed that Carta was driving a vehicle and he was on his cell phone. An officer tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Carta fled from police. He was apprehended later in the day.